The invention relates to a portable apparatus that can be used to distribute a high solids floor finish on a floor surface. The apparatus is adapted for high solids aqueous floor finish compositions that can be distributed to form a single robust layer of floor finish in one application on a resilient vinyl floor. In a preferred format, the system involves a backpack adapted for a single user, wand applicator having an application nozzle, an applicator pad, a high solids content aqueous finish composition and means to meter the correct amounts of floor finish.
The application of aqueous floor finish compositions to institutional floor surfaces in particular to resilient vinyl flooring remains a difficult problem for floor maintenance personnel. In the past floor finishes have been applied using multiple applications of conventional floor finish compositions to build up a robust finish layer. Such manual applications are often accomplished by pouring liquid floor finish or metering liquid floor finish onto a surface and uniformly distributing the liquid floor finish using a mop, weighted xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d bar, or other application device. Such application techniques often result in an uneven application, undesirable flawed surface appearance, unnecessary labor costs and often can result in insufficient thicknesses for commercial flooring. We have found that mobile or portable apparatus for floor maintenance are known. For the purpose of this application, we are not interested in an apparatus adapted for floor cleaning protocols. In the cleaning art, the mobile technology typically involves the use of aqueous cleaners and rinses for removing soils, low solids floor finish compositions and other undesirable materials from floor surfaces.
Conventional aqueous floor finish compositions are formulated in a variety of product types. The products vary with respect to the type of materials combined in the formulations and with respect to the amount of solids found in the formulations. The use of high solids floor finish compositions poses unique problems. Application technologies developed for conventional low solids floor finish compositions are often inadequate when used in high solids applications. Further the conventional application techniques cannot take advantage of the unique properties of high solids floor finish materials. Substantial need has arisen for improved methods and equipment that can be used in applying high solids floor finish materials.
We""re aware of the following patents generically related to floor maintenance technologies. Gewalt (U.S. Pat. No. 2,053,282), Thompson (U.S. Pat. No. 2,061,216), Payne (U.S. Pat. No. 2,731,656), Minerley (U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,463) and Cushing (U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,386) disclose an apparatus typically characterized in the prior art as xe2x80x9ca fountain mop.xe2x80x9d Such systems comprise typically a wand having mounted thereon, a reservoir for an aqueous material that can be applied through a xe2x80x9cfountainxe2x80x9d and a mop head that can be used to distribute the aqueous material. Similar to such fountain mops, Floyd (U.S. Pat. No. 1,778,552), Burfield (U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,328) and Sloan (U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,471) each teach a mop or brush head that includes a spray system for introducing an aqueous material into the head or on a floor.
One common configuration of a typical mobile floor cleaning system is the portable or motor driven cleaning machine such as that shown in Girman et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,375) or Tipton (U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,713) these apparatus are configured to sequentially apply cleaning materials to a floor, scrub the floor and then remove the cleaning materials for further operations.
Keppers, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,163, teaches a wheeled portable floor finish distribution apparatus mounted on a wheeled cart using an applicator nozzle, wand and distributor device to apply aqueous floor finish compositions.
A brief review of these disclosures show that no system is available that is adapted for the convenient, efficient application of a liquid floor finish over a large area floor using a portable cart system. Available application systems are not adapted to take advantage of the unique properties of high solids floor finish compositions. The larger portable or motor driven prior art systems are adapted for the serial application and removal typically by vacuum systems of aqueous materials used to wash, rinse or maintain floor surfaces.
Conventional technologies are not truly adapted for a single user performing the application of a single robust floor finish layer from high solids materials. In large part the prior art is directed towards portable systems that clean large areas of institutional flooring, but not directed towards applying maintaining floor finish layers.
A substantial need exists for apparatus and methods adapted to the formation of a single robust floor finish layer by a single maintenance individual using high solids floor finish compositions.
The invention relates to a floor finish application system including a source of aqueous floor finish in fluid communication with an applicator wand. The applicator wand comprises a handle, metering means for the high solids floor finish applicator nozzle, a distribution pad and a high solids aqueous floor finish composition. In the invention, a distribution pad using microfiber technology is paired with a high solids aqueous floor finish to permit a single applicator individual to apply a single coat, thick, robust floor finish in a single application or pass. In a preferred embodiment, the floor finish in a flexible container is placed into a backpack housing. The flexible container is equipped with a tubular connector such as a conduit that can be attached to the applicator wand structure. The wand structure can comprise a conduit directed to a floor finish applicator nozzle that can be used to meter an appropriate amount of the floor finish composition onto the resilient vinyl floor surface. The wand structure also comprises an attached micro fiber pad that can be used to distribute the aqueous finish at an appropriate rate of application in an appropriate application amount for a single pass application of the thick floor finish layer. For the purpose of this patent application, the term xe2x80x9cresilient vinyl flooringxe2x80x9d refers to conventional commercial flooring materials commonly found in commercial establishments such as large retail stores.